The New York Football Giants have some difficult roster decisions to make ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Reports indicate general manager Joe Schoen is listening to offers at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis for fifth-year pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, who's yet to reach the ceiling he was expected to have as a former top-five pick and will be due for a new contract after the 2026 season. Moving on from Thibodeaux now could be a way to help shave some payroll and use a position of strength to address a position of weakness, though if you ask Schoen, the Oregon product isn't going anywhere.
"Right now, Kayvon's going to be with us," Schoen told reporters. "He played well. He is going into his fifth year and he's motivated and you can't have enough pass rushers. You really can't. So I'm proud of the development and the maturation of Kayvon and he's come a long way. And I expect big things out of him next year with that rotation."
The 25-year-old was a first-round pick in 2022 but hasn't quite lived up to the potential of a No. 5 overall pick. In 2025, a shoulder injury ended his season after just 10 games, but he recorded a mere 2.5 sacks and 13 solo tackles even when healthy while rotating along a defensive front that featured talents like Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Dexter Lawrence II.
Schoen currently has just $2.7 million in salary cap space to operate with this offseason, so moving Thibodeaux's $14.75 million salary would provide the team with some much-needed flexibility while acquiring draft capital. The Giants likely won't be motivated to sell low, but he can certainly be had for the right price. Let's explore which NFL teams should be giving the Giants a call.
Chicago Bears
The Bears should be considered a top suitor here, as they need a piece to pair with Montez Sweat to aid what was a moribund pass rush last season. They also can actually offer a proven asset in return to get New York to bite, as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has been given permission to seek a trade and would be a desirable acquisition in a player-for-player swap at 27 years old.
Edmunds led the Bears with 112 tackles to go with nine passes defended, four sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery last season. He missed four games due to injury and would actually cost the Giants a little more than Thibodeaux ($17.9 million cap hit), but there's likely a way to get Chicago to eat some of that money to sweeten a deal.
Cincinnati Bengals
Star EDGE Trey Hendrickson is likely to depart in free agency, especially after the contract drama he went through last offseason. That means Cincinnati will need to do even more to fix its pass rush situation, and Thibodeaux fits the bill.
In return, the Giants could acquire a third-round selection (something they don't own this year) which would come in handy in April. The Bengals have $50 million in cap space, so taking on the final year of Thibodeaux's contract would be of little consequence for their ledgers.
Detroit Lions
Aidan Hutchinson needs a sidekick if the Lions are going to return to the top of the NFC North. Detroit gave up 413 total points in 2025, the 11th-most in the league. But it recorded 49.0 sacks, tied for the fourth-most in the NFL with division rival Minnesota. Adding Thibodeaux would make the Lions the most formidable defensive front in the conference.
General manager Brad Holmes needs a high-upside, low-buy option to experiment with as a partner for Hutchinson. Thibodeaux being a one-year rental, essentially needing to prove himself to remain on a contender, presents the perfect opportunity to reach a mutually beneficial situation.
4 more intriguing but unlikely destinations
After trading Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans, the New York Jets are now in need of a solid pass rusher. They can look across the parking lot to their MetLife Stadium roommates for a solution. With $79.34 million in salary cap space, they can surely make that acquisition work.
The San Francisco 49ers have seemingly been cursed with injury troubles but still manage to field highly competitive teams. The losses of Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams last year exposed their thin depth, so adding a rotational player like Thibodeaux would be very useful.
Super Bowl LX was a prime example of the New England Patriots' lack of true pass rushing talent. With $40.56 million in cap space, Thibodeaux would be a bargain buy and fill a primary need.
Despite having Laiatu Latu to lead the charge, the Indianapolis Colts finished 23rd in pressure rate last year. Finding a veteran partner for the 2024 first-round pick is essential this offseason and Thibodeaux would offer a cost-effective option.